Coffee Break: Flash Fiction #1
I didn't like where I was sitting. The coffee shop was quiet and nearly empty, so I got up and moved to the other side. I just wanted to take a little break out of my day. When I sat down in my new seat, I noticed a coffee cup sitting on the armrest of a chair across the room from me. I picked up the coffee cup from the table next to me and brought it to my face. The coffee was too sweet. I was pissed, but I sipped away at it anyway.
I wondered what was in the lone coffee cup that was staring me down. Maybe it was better than my ten-dollar cup of chemical. I was getting angry. Someone bought a perfectly good cup of coffee and just left it there.
Five minutes went by, and no one claimed the cup. My coffee was getting cold, so I decided to dump it and leave the mug on the counter. I got up to walk to the counter and glared at the barista. She was staring at something at the far side of the café while she was nearly scrubbing the paint off the coffee mug. I swear I saw smoke coming off it.
She seemed to be a meek woman. She was no taller than five foot with her shoulders stooped. Her glasses made her head look like a pebble as they clung to the tip of her nose for dear life.
Someone sneezed off on one side of the café, and she dropped the mug on the floor. It shattered, but the barista didn’t make a sound or even move. Then she glanced down at the mess, then she lifted her head again and stared back off into the distance, just like before. She was a few feet away from me, but I could see her sweating. Rivers of sweat were running through her knotted curly mess of hair on top of her head. She must be a new hire. I have never met her before.
“Can I help you with this, Bianca is it?” I had noticed her name card on her chest. Same name as my manager’s.
“Mam, excuse me? There are sharp fragments everywhere. Should I get-”
“No! I’ve got this. Is there anything else I can do to make your experience more enjoyable?” She clearly wasn’t looking at me.
“No, I just…”
“Then have a great day!”
I decided to let her handle it on her own, so I walked back to my place at the café and met back with the unaccompanied coffee mug. It appeared as if no one had even taken a sip. I thought of my wasted cup and started salivating. Why not? Clearly no one wants it. I took one last look around, stood up, and made my way to the mug.
Made it.
I wanted to smell it to see what was waiting before me in the worn-down ceramic. With both hands I smoothly lifted the cup to my face and started to breathe in it’s heavenly aroma. Before I could get it within an inch of my face, there was a smacking noise in the back of the café. It was a man, lying on the ground. He was foaming at the mouth and clutching his stomach.
I glanced over towards Bianca’s direction, but she was gone.
I started to run towards the man to see if I could help. I took two steps before an older man busy on his phone came up from behind and shoved my shoulder.
“Hey man, that’s mine. Don’t take my coffee.”
“Oh sorry, I just thought, ya know, maybe you didn’t want it anymore. It’s been a while.”
“Were you trying to drink it? Jez, just give me my goddamn coffee, kid. Hey wait, what happened over there?”
“I think he needs help. Someone should call 911 –you have a phone. How about yo-”
“That’s a damn shame. I have places to be. Give me my coffee.” He grabbed the mug and left with it. Another mug lost from the supply. It made me think of the mug Bianca broke.
I walked over and peered around the counter where she was standing earlier, and the mess had been completely cleaned up. I walked closer and saw a name tag lying on the ground where she was standing. Then I walked over to the window of the café and saw the mug thief lying on the ground.
I called for help and it was not long before the police started to pile in. My manager Bianca came with them. I stared down my name card. I was aware that things didn’t look good for me.
“What in the hell did you do, Kyle?”
“I didn’t do anything. It must have been the new hire, Bianca. She did something to the coffee.”
“Bianca who? I didn’t hire anyone. I’m the only Bianca here.”
The police started to move towards me. I swallowed hard. Perhaps I shouldn’t have taken a coffee break.
I probably should have prefaced this by saying that I write pretty dark stuff. I have never publicly shared any work of fiction so I am interested to see what the response will be for my first attempt.
Let me know what you think of this, or if you would like for me to continue writing flash fiction pieces on my blog!
Thank you for reading and I will see you on the next on!
Stina:)